Fresh Blow to TMC: Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Baraik Resigns Amid Growing Political Turmoil
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) suffered another political setback on Thursday after Rajya Sabha MP Prakash Chik Baraik resigned from the Upper House, becoming the third party parliamentarian to step down within a week and adding to the mounting pressure on the party leadership.
According to sources, Baraik met Rajya Sabha Chairman C P Radhakrishnan in New Delhi and formally submitted his resignation. In his resignation letter, the West Bengal leader stated that he was stepping down from the membership of the Rajya Sabha with immediate effect.
Baraik also expressed gratitude to the chairman, deputy chairman and officials of the Rajya Sabha Secretariat for their support and cooperation during his tenure in Parliament.
A prominent tribal face from West Bengal , Baraik held key parliamentary responsibilities and was serving on the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, along with the Consultative Committee on Tribal Affairs.
His resignation comes at a politically sensitive moment for the TMC, which has been witnessing an unusual wave of departures and internal dissent.
Earlier this week, Rajya Sabha MP Sukhendu Sekhar Ray resigned from Parliament and later announced his exit from the party, reportedly citing differences with the leadership. Soon after, Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev also resigned from both Parliament and the TMC. Her subsequent meeting with Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma triggered political speculation over her next move.
With Baraik’s exit, the party has now lost three Rajya Sabha members in a matter of days , intensifying concerns over its political stability.
The developments come in the backdrop of the TMC’s difficult phase following its defeat in the West Bengal Assembly elections , which triggered internal unrest and organisational instability.
The situation escalated further when a large section of TMC legislators reportedly broke away from the official legislative bloc and secured recognition as the principal opposition group in the Assembly under expelled legislator Ritabrata Banerjee . Rebel leaders have since claimed that their numbers continue to grow.
Signs of rebellion have also emerged at the national level, with dissident parliamentarians reportedly claiming support from multiple MPs. Recent developments involving lawmakers including Saayoni Ghosh and Mala Roy have further intensified discussions around the party’s future political course.